Embargoes and Exclusives

August 25, 2013

4 minute read

Oh no! That thorny old issue has popped up again today as The Sunday Times Style have published everything you ever need to know about the Charlotte Tilbury make-up range. In beauty world, it’s a very big and important launch – to everyone outside the lipstick zone, it won’t even cause a ripple.

I often get asked (and judged on) why I won’t sign my life away on a non-disclosure notice and agree to embargoes and today’s revelations sort of sum up exactly why. Behind the scenes, I was invited to the press launch of Charlotte Tilbury; I was encouraged to attend and write about the House of Rock & Kohl event at Selfridges that preceded the launch and was part of the big lead up to the make-up launch. I politely – but honestly – declined the launch invitation on the basis that I didn’t want to sign an embargo notice, because once you’ve signed that you are completely bound by it. I didn’t go the Rock & Kohl launch because I’m not terribly interested in celebrities (although I am terribly, terribly interested in make-up!) and I popped in under my own steam at a later date.

On Friday, realising that the embargo date was coming to an end (after midnight tonight is the official time) I was in communication with the PR agency – actually I (think) I have a great relationship with them, and was promised the product on Sunday. Because I really couldn’t bear the thought of having someone have to go into work on bank holiday for the sake of a lipstick, I gave my absolute word that I wouldn’t (and I won’t, because a promise is a promise) give out any information at all and got product on Friday. So, while I worked a good proportion of yesterday photographing it, resizing it and writing out the copy so I could post at five past midnight tonight (and was prepared to stay up to do it because WordPress scheduling is notoriously unreliable) knowing now that anyone who picks up a copy of the Sunday Times Style can photograph, Instagram, blog, Vine, Google+, Tumblr and everything other single possible way of communication you can think of can put it out into the world, there now seems very little point in publishing anything on it at all.

And this is where, because of the internet, embargoes don’t work. If you think about it, any website from Russia to China can pick up images from all the above mentioned communication channels, including magazine sites, and yet all the UK sites can’t because they signed away their rights to do it at the launch. And this is a British brand.

We all know that monthly magazines are facing their most challenging times ever – it would have been a super boost for their sites to have elements of exclusivity and share the excitement across the board. I feel now quite flat about it because I know I won’t have anything new to bring to the party for BBB readers. It seems a shame really, not least because the range is quite simply one of the best edited, consistently thought through and user friendly ranges I have ever come across. You can tell to its bones that there is someone who completely understands make-up behind it.

I’m sure it was known that STS had the exclusive, although I didn’t know and neither did many others (to be fair, I had just assumed we’d all go on the same day, so didn’t actually ask the question) which would have been the perfect fan-fare for the range, which certainly deserves one.

If you think about it, how would embargoes work the other way round? If all the publications decided that because one had been chosen over another, the range would be discarded by everyone else? Ouch, I don’t even want to think about how that would work out for a new brand. PRs rely on the professionalism of beauty editors to take the small crumbs that are left and personally, I’m not up for pecking at them. It’s just not a one-way street anymore; blogs in particular don’t have to adhere to the traditional rules of engagement and the beauty industry by the beauty boom we’ve created should be very pleased for it.

If it sounds like sour grapes, hand on heart, it probably is a bit – I could waffle endlessly about how it isn’t – but I do feel disappointed and sad that I couldn’t offer BBB readers what I think they should have… and that doesn’t seem wrong to me.

NB: Some time later.. the brilliant thing about blogs/Twitter is reader feedback.. I am totally over myself and going to post the pics at the agreed time. I worked really hard on them and they show products up close and swatched. It doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about embargoes it just means I’m not going to cut off my nose to spite my face. So, a late night ahead for me!

*all products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.

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27 comments

“…there now seems very little point in publishing anything on it at all” Well I disagree. I don’t get STS, I would have read your post as I normally do having not seen any other coverage and would have been interested in YOUR pov, even if factually, you’re repeating the same info as other publications. You’re underestimating how much your readers want YOUR personal take. (Maybe you need to watch your own vlog about competitive blogging again lol!)

Don’t get me wrong, I know that you pride yourself on being first and some of your readers come here for that, but not all of them do.

It’s not even a question of being first – I’d assumed that we’d all go together.. Certainly not staying up til after midnight! And its more that I just genuinely feel a bit flat about it knowing it will make the rounds across the globe today and my hands are tied over a promise. The make up is great.. I’ve already stated my POV..

I just had a look at the article that had the exclusive that wasn’t to anyone else’s knowledge and I can’t see why you would be bothered really. Yes, it is releasing the news of the new launch but most readers will only be able to see one tiny paragraphy of the article before you are asking to subscribe for a weekly fee to view the rest! Also it just includes a simple image that doesn’t show any of the products. I also did a Google search and there is nothing else on it.

So personally if it was myself that have planned the post and this had happened I would be a bit ‘well that is annoying’ but I would know I could bring a lot more to the table with my blog post full of images and swatches.

I know readers come to you for the low down on all things new in the beauty world but I don’t think you should get so much in a tizz over a website posting before you’d promised to. As I don’t think people reading your blog will have already heard of the launch due to that one website and even if they had, like I say you will be offering a better/more in-depth personal look.

Thanks Fee.. I know.. but I just can’t help feeling a bit flat about it now.. totally a lesson to myself here probably.. don’t sweat the small stuff especially when it’s lipstick but I’m just being open about how I feel about it. It kind of goes back to a convo I had on twitter last night about everything becoming very polarised… I need a holiday lol!! x

I get why you’re pissed about it. I’ve just had a quick look at the article and photos and I still think you should go ahead with it. People come to blogs for ‘truer’ swatches, real descriptions of the products, and The Sunday Times Style doesn’t do that, neither do glossy mags. That’s why bloggers are so popular; it provides a different format for ‘real’ views not ones that pander to the company. And as Fee says, not everyone has a subscription to The Times, so it is limited access, and well, it’s a different market too.

Interesting perspective on embargoes! While I do get frustrated with them, in general I’m thankful for them. I typically have a 2 month backlog for my editorial schedule, so it IS nice to have quiet time to actually fully test, photograph, plan and prepare posts ahead of time. I’m very thankful for the ability to do this- I remember when I wasn’t on long lead media, I *always* felt stressed and rushed to get reviews up and it was a nightmare! I finally feel relaxed and like I can plan properly. What DOES get me upset is when brands don’t stick to embargo dates. Also, the internet really is a global community, so if you are going to have an embargo, make sure its the same world round. It’s silly how someone in the US is blogging about a specific product yet i’m supposed to pretend like it doesn’t exist. Leaks will happen… but I’ve found the pros and better than the cons for my schedule and situation.

I totally understand why you’re miffed (and I would feel the same,) but I totally agree with DRG. I don’t buy the Times so I wouldn’t have read it, but regardless I would be more interested to read your thoughts than a journalist that’s probably been told to write in a certain way in order to get the exclusive. I read blogs for honesty and yours is always 100% genuine in the opinions and discussions it provides. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

I read your posts because I want to read your opinions. I don’t care if the product has been around for 2 years and has been written up 100 times. You don’t have to be the first to write about anything. When you build up a readership, your readers are expecting you to give your honest opinion, not to be the first in the world to post about a new product.

Hi Jane! Don’t really want to repeat what everyone else has said but I’ll post this anyway, just so you can show those PR companies how many of your readers actually have this view: I wouldn’t give a penny to read whatever STS has to offer on this range, I’m a relatively new reader to your blog but I trust your opinion on this far more!!

In fact, I didn’t even know STS was running anything on it, I was eagerly awaiting news on your blog. Now that I know it’s in STS it’s still not going to make me buy it or even bother to get it, I’d rather wait for your post instead. =)

Penny, thank you so much.. yours and all the other incredibly supportive comments have made my day. I am definitely going through a bit of a strange time with my blog, which can and does happen to all bloggers periodically and I’m always amazed at how kind people can be.. it’s such a boost I can’t tell you. So, they are all lined up and scheduled.. I’ve even re-shot a couple of the products because I wasn’t happy with them so it’s going to be better than the original! xx

I check a few blogs that I trust regularly so I know what’s coming and to get an opinion on what to spend my hard earned pennies on. (Body Shop nude lipsticks – nom, nom! Thank you for directing me towards those). If the product isn’t featured on one of them, then I may not know about it. And if I don’t know about it, then I’m not likely to even consider purchasing. Particularly if it involves a pilgrimage to Selfridges.

I can’t wait to read your review and see your photos. One thing though, all the per-publicity says that this is Tilbury’s debut line, but didn’t she do myface?

Hi Jo, I thought that too about MyFace. I actually got invited by the PR to have a demo by CT at the time and still use MYface foundation to this day. My understanding (I could be wrong) was that Charlotte consulted on it, it wasn’t her brand (although it was certainly hyped as if it WAS her brand!). I think another high profile mua took over afterwards but I forget who. I’m sure it will all come out in the reams of PR that’s likely to accompany the Charlotte Tilbery launch…

Pfft they can shove their STS… I always skip the beauty sections in newspapers and mags anyway, don’t trust what Im reading. Give me a blog any day of the week. There’s only one place I go when I want to see what’s upcoming or new and that’s BBB.

Beauty bloggers are a bit like theatre critics. You try out a recommendation that you might not have otherwise and gradually the trust grows and you stick with them. Publish the post I’m curious to see what you say. My initial dip into the Tilbury website left me thinking that this wouldn’t be a brand for me. I want to know why you are so excited about it.

So glad you’ve decided to publish as I can’t wait to hear what you think! I can only echo what others have said; I don’t read your blog just for exclusives and I’ll give as much attention to something you discuss that’s been around for 2 years as I would something that’s been here for 2 minutes! It’s your specific, critical opinion of the product/s that I want to read xx

I don’t read or buy STS and any magazine I rarely buy is often only flicked through 3 months later. Reading your blog and others is now my preferred way of keeping up to date with the latest news and true opinion of products.

I’m a not UK reader, so I don’t read any UK newspapers. I’ve been quite excited about this launch since I first heard about it, and having read your review I sure hope it’ll ship internationally. Reading your blog in the morning is a pleasant way to keep up with the beauty world. In a bit it’s like hearing from a trusted friend. You are doing a fantastic job, Jane. All the best!

I value your thoughts more than TST…glad you will be posting regardless. They may have gotten the first bite of the apple for print but I am SURE you will be flying the flag first for online media, and I’m sure you’ll to Charlotte Tilbury justice!